What Happened To Frank
by Jville
Summary: UC-CSI crossover. Finished! Could it be Frank is dead? The CSI team thinks so and they suspect his wife.
1. A Quite Day Off?

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters of UC UNDERCOVER or CSI. I do own the other characters along with my friend so please do not use them without my permission. It has been a while since I have posted any of my stories here. **If you don't recognize any of the characters or wonder what has happened since I last posted here go to my profile and click on my site. All my stories are there.**

What Happened to Frank?     Rated PG 13 

Written By: MaryAnn

The team was in the lounge when Frank and Elaina got back to headquarters after taking Sarah and Megan to the airport. Sarah was going to visit Frank's parents in New York for a while and make a quick stop off in Chicago to surprise Derek for his birthday. Elaina was hesitant to let her go but she was missing Derek and Becky, so she let her. It was only going to be for a couple of days and she and Frank decided they could use some time to themselves. 

"I miss her already," Frank said as they walked in the lounge and sat down with the others. 

"You were missing her before she left," Elaina commented.

"This seems different from the times we send her to the ranch. I guess it's because of the security issue," Frank said. 

"Your mother and father will take good care of her. Besides she has her bracelet and Megan to keep track of her. By the way Cody, thanks for making the remote devise for Meg to carry with her. We're going to do something special for you and Sab to show our appreciation," Elaina said.

"What would that be?" Cody asked.

"I'm going to pay for your loft to be remodeled when you get back to Chicago," she announced.

"Why? We like it the way it is," Sabrina said, looking somewhat puzzled.

"You didn't have time to childproof it before we left. We want to make sure Angelina is very safe in her home. We're also talking about security measures being installed there. I've already talked to your landlord and she loves the idea," Frank explained.

"But this is way too much for that little thing I made," Cody replied.

"That little thing is a big thing to us. We don't want anyone kidnapping Sarah again. Since we changed her security bracelet into her medical bracelet, hopefully, no one will think to remove it as quick," Frank said. 

"I have a question that's been bugging me. How did they get the bracelet off of you to give it to Zultan, when you were abducted?" Sab asked.

"I had to tell them how to remove it, they started their torture as soon as I was tied up to get everything they needed," Frank said.

"When I saw it on Zultan my heart sank. I didn't know how I was going to find you," Elaina said, hugging him.

"I'm fine, can we change the subject?" Frank asked.

"Sure. What's our next assignment?" Jake asked.

"We've been working nonstop since we got here, first with the def con case then the bikers. I think we deserve a couple of days of R&R," Frank said. "Right Boss?"

"Well, I guess we can take a few days off. I'd rather have them off when Sarah is home but being alone doesn't sound too bad either. After all that's one reason we sent her." 

"What's the other reason?" Sab asked.

"What?" Elaina asked.

"What is the other reason you sent her away?" Sab asked again.

"We don't want to say yet," Elaina answered.

"Why not let them know? They'll find out sooner or later," Frank said. 

"Ok, Frank and I have been looking for a surrogate, so we can have another child," Elaina announced, catching everyone by surprise.

"You're kidding," Maria wondered.

"I think that's great news," Monica said. 

"So do I," Allison said. "Have you found a surrogate yet?"

"No, I have an idea for someone but Frank and I haven't talked about it yet," Elaina said.

"Who do you have in mind?" Frank wondered.

"Not here. I'll tell you in private," Elaina said, getting up and walking out of the lounge. 

*******

Frank followed her to the poolroom where she got a bottle of beer from the fridge behind the bar. Frank took it from her and thanked her. She looked at him then reached in and got another one for herself.

"You shouldn't do that," Frank said.

"I'm not driving anywhere for a while. I take it you want to know now, who I want as a surrogate?"

"Yep. You have my curiosity peaked." Frank sat on one of the barstools as she stayed behind the bar leaning on it as she drank her beer.

"I'd like to ask Miranda."

"HELL NO!" Frank yelled.

"Quite. We don't need them to hear this." Elaina went over and shut the door. "Why?"

"You know why. You may have made up with her but I haven't. I tolerate her but I don't trust her."

"I'm not asking you to sleep with her. I'm just asking you to let her carry the baby. It would be a part of me in a small way," Elaina explained.

"You do realize, she will suggest we sleep together. After all, the natural way is the best way to get pregnant. I know the way she thinks and that's exactly what she'll say." Frank took a drink of his beer.

"If she did she would be joking, Frank. She has changed but you refuse to see it."

"You're blinded by the thought of this child being a part of you. I don't want anything to do with her."

"I want someone I can trust.  I trust her whether you do or not," Elaina said, downing the rest of the beer and getting another. 

"Why not ask Maria? She's related to you."

"She's married. Besides she just had twins. I'm not putting her through another pregnancy this soon," she said.

"You have to have other relatives you can ask other than Miranda," Frank said, finishing his beer. "Why don't you ask Connie?"

"Why do you like her?"

"Why is it when I suggest someone you turn on me with green eyes?"

"There had to be a reason you suggested her so quickly," she said, coming around the bar to sit down.

"I suggested her because she's single and she's related to you. Isn't that why you picked Miranda?"

"Yes, I'm sorry for insinuating it was something more. I guess I could ask her. But if she says no then I can ask Miranda, deal?"

"I'll think about it. I'm not promising anything." 

"Better then you saying flat out no." She kissed him on the cheek. "Forgive me?"

"Yes, but don't pressure me for an answer about Miranda if Connie doesn't do it."

"I won't. I'll try to be patient."

"Can we go home or do we have to stay here all day?"

"We can go home, go horseback riding and then, we can horse around more in the tub," she said with a big grin.

"Very good plan. I'm all for it. Not necessarily in that order," he said holding her close.

"Let's go tell the others to take off and whatever."

***** 

Cody was about to walk over and knock on the door when it opened. "Hey, you guys have a phone call. It's Andy. Said it was urgent."

"I see our plans going out the window," Frank commented. "We'll take it in my office." 

"Ok." Cody transferred the call as they walked out. Sab came in with Angelina strapped to her in a carrier. 

"We're going out on the porch. Want to join us?" Sab asked.

"Sure do. I have a feeling we're getting a new assignment."

"What makes you think that?" Sab bent down and kissed the baby on the head.

"Andy's calling. We always seem to get more work when he calls," Cody replied.

"Maybe he's just saying what a great job we've been doing," Sab suggested. 

"Could be but I doubt it. Let's go get some fresh air." They walked out to the porch and sat on the shady side. 

"I really like it here. It's quite and the weather isn't that bad. I like this Headquarters better than I do the one in Chicago."

"I do too. I wonder if we can talk Elaina into getting us a different HQ there?"

"Never hurts to ask."

Cody looked over to see Frank. "Didn't hear you sneak up on us?"

"I didn't want to wake Angelina," Frank said seeing the baby sound asleep. "All of you can go home. We're not going to work for a few days."

"What did Andy want?" Sab asked.

"Nothing that concerns you. Just some business Elaina and I have to deal with sooner or later. We're making it later."

"Can we go riding or would we be interfering in your personal time?" Sab asked.

"We don't mind. You're not going to bring her are you?" 

"No. Mom and Casey will watch her for us."

"Good, I don't think she's old enough to ride yet. Elaina and I have the same idea, so we wouldn't be able to watch her."

"Don't worry we have it covered. We'll see you later then," Sab said as she and Cody got up to leave.

******

"Maria, do you want to go gambling for a while? Monica and I were going for a bit. Thought we'd have a girls day out," Alex asked.

"I'd love too but I don't know what Jake's plans are."

"Ask him, you deserve a day out with us," Monica said.

"Ok." Maria walked out to find Jake. She went to the nursery and found him changing Robert's diaper. She started laughing when she saw a wet streak on Jake's shirt. "He finally got you!"

"Don't laugh! I never laughed when it happened to you." Jake finished with the diaper and put Robert in the crib.

"Bull, you laughed behind by back," Maria said. "Do you care, if I go gambling for a while with Monica and Alex?"

"You're leaving me here alone with the twins?"

"Yes, is that so bad? I stay alone with them, sometimes."

"But Mom is usually here. She and Sonny went out. I won't have any help if they both get cranky."

"You can deal with it, you're their father. Just do you're best, if you have trouble call me. I really want to go." She made a pouting face.

"All right. I'll take care of them. Just don't shut off your phone," Jake requested. "Try to win a lot of money so we can retire early," he said, giving her a kiss.

"I'll try dear but don't hold you're breath." 

"Be careful," he said as she left him with the twins.

She walked back to her office to see if the girls were still there. "Hey we can go. He's going to enjoy some time alone with his children."

"Good. Lets go gambling ladies," Alex said as they all headed out.


	2. Playing or Fighting

Chapter 2

Cody and Sab pulled into the driveway and as they got out of the car they heard Frank and Elaina yelling at one another. They looked at each other wondering if they should leave and forget about going riding.

"I think we'd be interfering if we knocked right now. Why don't we go on out to the horses?" Cody suggested.

The next thing they heard was glass shattering. "I think we need to go see what's going on," Sab said, going to the front door. She knocked and rang the doorbell. When she didn't hear anyone coming she knocked again. "LAINIE!"

"Coming!" When Elaina opened the door her hair was a mess and she had red welts on her arms.

"What the hell is going on here?" Sab demanded to know.

"We're working out and things got a bit out of hand," Elaina explained. "Come on in."

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. If you're wondering about the marks its from blocking his moves. We don't pull our punches all the time."

"Sounded like world war three was going on," Cody said. 

"Nah. Frank is in the game room cleaning up the vase we broke." They followed her up the steps to the game room. Frank had a few red welts on his arms as well. 

"Put shoes on woman before for you get cut," Frank said with a touch of anger to his voice. "I need to vacuum before you can go barefoot in here."

"Fine, you vacuum. I'll go find my shoes," Elaina said. Sab followed her to the bedroom. 

"Lainie, Are sure you two were just sparing? He sounded a mad."

"He lost. I got in more hits than he did," Elaina said with a laugh.

"Are you really going through with this surrogate thing? I mean, aren't you afraid that the mother would keep the baby?"

"We discussed it a long time and we have talked to our lawyer about it too. He said he will make it a very binding agreement with all parties involved and there won't be any doubt we'll get the baby." Elaina looked in her closet for her shoes but didn't see what she wanted.

"I still have my doubts about it. I'd be really worried until I held the baby in my arms," Sab said.

"Are you trying to talk me out of this?" She looked under the bed for them next. "There they are," she said digging under the bed for them.

"No, I just don't want to see you hurt."

"I won't be. I have a couple of people in mind. I'm hoping one will say yes," Elaina said, slipping on her tennis shoes.

"Who?"

"Not going to say until I find out. I don't want to jinx any part of this." 

"I hope it's someone you can trust."

"I do trust both of them."

"Good. Have you and Frank been riding yet?" Sab wondered.

"Nope, we were waiting on you and Cody."

"We're ready to go. You two need to pull your punches more often," Sab said, looking at Elaina's arms again.

"We just got carried away. This isn't the first time we just haven't done it in a while. We usually just wear clothes that hide the bruises for a few days after we do this," Elaina laughed. 

"You two are weird sometimes," Sab said as they walked out of the room.

"Thank you."

"That wasn't a complement."

"Too bad. I took it as one."

******

The four of them went riding in the pasture. Frank and Elaina decided to race each other to see who would cook dinner. Elaina was about to win when Frank came up fast and moved Velvet quickly in front of Sahara causing her to rear up. Elaina was able to stay on but was furious with Frank, she took off after him when she caught up to him, and she flung herself over knocking him and herself to the ground.

"Don't you ever do that again, Frank Donovan." 

"Do what?"

She went to hit him but he held on to her arm. "You are evil when it comes to winning and I'm not going to let you hurt me or any of the horses. You do something like that again, you'll regret it."

Frank chuckled not taking her seriously. They both got up from the ground as Sab and Cody came up to them. "I won, so you cook." 

Elaina turned around and smiled at him then punched him hard in the stomach. "I don't think you'll feel like eating much tonight, do you?" 

Frank was doubled over in pain as Elaina got on her horse and took off to the stables. Cody and Sab stayed with Frank. 

"Do you need a doctor, Frank?" Sab asked worried about him.

He shook his head no. He straightened up slowly. "Damn, she **was** serious." Frank said, finally.

"I don't blame her. You could've hurt her or Sahara. You should be ashamed of yourself," Sab said.

"Sab, I think we should help him back to the house and leave. It's not our argument," Cody suggested. 

"I'd prefer you don't go until she calms down a little. She seems to have a short fuse today."

"I'd say that was rather obvious. Do you know why?" Cody asked.

"Yeah, I think I do. I think it's because of what I said about her sister earlier when we were alone. I'm sure she'll calm down if you two stay for dinner."

"You sound like you're afraid of her," Sab commented with a slight giggle.

"I'm not afraid of her. I'm just worried about her. She's been drinking heavy today and I could use some back-up to get her to quit," Frank told them as they led the horses back. "You know how she is."

"Why has she been drinking?" 

"I think the surrogate thing bothers her but she won't tell me. I'm hoping maybe you could get her to talk about it."

"I already have and she said it was ok with her. She said she even had a couple of people in mind that she trusted."

"Oh yeah, she does. Did she happen to mention who?"

"No. She said she didn't want to jinx it."

"I won't tell you then if she didn't. She was right about one thing. I don't feel like eating now." Frank said, rubbing where she punched him.

*****

Frank didn't bother with eating anything at dinner. He did sit at the table and talked with Sab and Cody, rarely speaking to Elaina. After dinner Frank went out on the balcony upstairs while Elaina walked Cody and Sab out to their van; he waved at them as they left. Elaina went up to see him after finishing up the dishes; she walked up and put her arms around him as he still stood on the balcony. 

"I'm sorry about punching you the way I did. I was just angry; you could've hurt Sahara. I love her as much as you love Velvet."

"I know. I'm sorry for being so stupid. I forgive you, if you forgive me."

"I do. I can't stay mad at you," she said, hugging him. 

"Want to kiss and make out?"

"Sure, I don't have anything better to do," she said, with a wicked smile. "Can I use the handcuffs again?"

"Umm, no. I want to be able to touch you **all** over."

"Oooo, that sounds heavenly." Elaina took her t-shirt off. "How's this for a starting point?" she asked unfastening her bra as he stood there watching. 

"I'm glad we don't have neighbors close by." Frank kissed her neck while he fondled her breasts. 

"Umm, I wouldn't care if we did, as far as I'm concerned, we're in our own little world." She ran her fingers through his long hair. "I LOVE YOU!" she yelled.

"You're in a rare mood. I like it though."

"The night is still young, Love," she said, kissing him deeply. She backed away and started unfastening his pants. "I want you here and now."

"What happened to the night is young?"

"It is. We have the whole house to ourselves. I want to make love where ever I want."

"I love the way you think."


	3. Where's Frank?

Chapter 3

Elaina woke up the next morning very groggy. She reached out for Frank but he wasn't there. She finally was able to open her eyes up enough to see. What really woke her up was the site of blood on Frank's side of the bed and all over her. The site made her dizzy and nauseated, she immediately went to the phone and called Sonny.

"Hello," Sonny answered, sounding half asleep.

"Sonny, I need you and Cody over at my house, ASAP. Something has happened," Elaina said in a shaky voice.

"We'll be right there," Sonny said then hung up the phone. Elaina went from room to room in a panic yelling for Frank but never got a response from him. She was on the stairs crying hysterically when Sonny and Cody got there. She let them in as a sheriff's car pulled up. 

"Did you call them?" Sonny asked.

"Yes. I had to. I need to know what happened to Frank," she said, through her sobbing. Sonny tried to do his best to comfort her.

The deputy walked up to the door. "Ma'am, do you need an ambulance?" he asked, seeing all the blood on her.

"No. I'm not hurt but my husband is missing and there is blood everywhere upstairs in our bedroom."

"Are you two family or friends?" the deputy asked Sonny and Cody.

"Very good friends," Cody said. "I'll show you to the bedroom." 

"Thank you, Cody. But if your stomach is weak you better stay out," she warned him.

"I'll be ok," Cody said as he and the deputy went to the room, while Sonny sat with Elaina.

Within a few moments they came back downstairs to talk to Elaina. Cody was very pale after seeing the scene. "I've called for the CSI team. I have to ask you a few questions, Mrs. Donovan, right?"

"Yeah, I'm Elaina Donovan. What do you want to know?"

"What time was it when you last saw your husband?"

"About 3am. We were…we...we went to bed about then," Elaina said, trying to be discreet.

"I think I know what you're saying but for the record, you'll have to say it ma'am," the deputy said.

"We made love most of the night. We went to bed around 3am." 

"Thank you, ma'am. I know these are embarrassing questions." 

"My husband and I are Federal Agents. I should be clearer in my answers. I was just trying not to embarrass you," Elaina said. 

"It takes a lot to embarrass me. I worked vice for six months," the deputy stated.

"Can we go on with the questions?" Sonny asked.

"Yes, do you remember hearing anything in your sleep?"

"No, once I was out I didn't wake up, until right before I called 911." 

After several questions and moments later, there was a knock on the front door as the CSI team arrived. Cody went to the foyer to let them in. "Catherine Willows, Gil Grissom and Nick Stokes walked in to the living room.

"Excuse me, while I show them the crime scene," the deputy said.

"I think we have part of the scene here," Catherine said, looking at Elaina's gown. "We're going to need that." 

"I know. I'll go change." Elaina went upstairs with the team and Catherine. 

"My name is Catherine Willows. This is Gil Grissom and Nick Stokes." 

"Willows? I know that name. Did you once own a horse named White Feather?"

"How did you know?"

"My father bought him when your family sold their ranch," Elaina said as she went to the closet to get something to wear. 

"Catherine," Gil looked at her and then to the closet. 

"Mrs. Donovan, you have to remember this is a crime scene," Catherine stated.

"I know that, Ms. Willows. But I do need clothes if you insist I give you my gown." 

"I'm just saying, try not to disturb too much." 

"You may check these, if you like, for more blood or any other evidence you like," Elaina said, handing her the blue jeans and blouse she pulled out.

"I will, thank you," Catherine looked them over thoroughly the handed them back to Elaina. "Be careful when taking your gown off."

"May I go to the bathroom or do I strip in front of your buddies?"

"We'll step out for a minute," Gil said, motioning for Nick to leave. They looked around in the hallway, taking photos of the surrounding area to see if there was any evidence there.

"Are we going to walk a fine line since this involves a Federal Agent?" Nick asked.

"I find it odd she didn't call her people in to investigate this," Gil said, thinking.

"Maybe she did and they haven't gotten here yet."

"I have a feeling those two downstairs are agents too. Did you notice there are no blood trails from the room?"

"Yeah. I wonder how she could have gotten all bloody and not left a trail from the room."

"We don't know how she's involved in this yet. She may be a victim too."

"We're finished!" Catherine yelled.

"Mrs. Donovan. The officer said you slept through whatever happened but are you sure you weren't attacked?"

"Believe me. I would know if I was or not. It hasn't been that long ago when I was chloroformed and raped," Elaina stated. 

"Thank you for your cooperation. You can leave the room now," Gil told her.

"Thank you, that much blood, makes me feel faint." Elaina left the room for them to gather the evidence. 

"She doesn't seem too upset to me," Catherine said. 

"She has been crying though. Did you take pictures of those bruises on her arms and legs?" Gil asked.

"Yeah, she said she and her husband were sparing and they didn't pull their punches," Catherine answered.

"Man, how could she have slept through her husband being killed and carried off?" Nick asked. "There is a hell of a lot of blood here."

"Maybe she was drugged," he said, holding up a glass that was sitting on the nightstand. 

"Greg's going to be busy for a while," Catherine said, finding a pair of shoes with blood on them under the bed. "For a Fed, she's not very good at hiding evidence if she did do this."

"Let's just gather the evidence and see what it tells us," Gil told them.

*****

By the time they had gathered everything from the bedroom the rest of team Donovan was at the house. Gil walked into the living room where Elaina was sitting with Sabina and Maria. "Excuse me, ladies, I need to ask Mrs. Donovan a question." 

"Go ahead," Elaina said. "I have no secrets from them."

"Is your vehicle in the garage?" 

"Yes. You can enter through the dining room," Elaina got up and showed them to the door. She picked the keys off the holder and handed them to Catherine.

"Do you leave the keys there all the time?" she asked.

"If I'm parked in the garage, yes, otherwise I have them by my bag," Elaina explained. "Why do you want to check my truck?"

"We'll check your husband's car too," Nick said. 

"You think I killed him, don't you? I didn't!" Elaina went back into the house. 

"What are they looking for now?" Jake asked.

"More evidence. They think I killed him."

"We know you'd never do it. But why is there so much blood and no body? And if they killed Frank, why didn't they kill you?" Alex wondered.

"I wish I could remember but I can't," Elaina said with tears in her eyes.

*****

"Hey, Griss. I got a bloody knife laying over here," Nick said, looking on the workbench. "It was wrapped in this paper bag."

"Interesting, so far we have a lot of blood, a bloody knife and no body and a wife that can't remember anything after 3am," Catherine said.

"We've solved cases like this before and the body, nine times out of ten, shows up somewhere," Gil said as they continued to work.

"Even if the body doesn't show up we have a good case already. We now know how, whoever took the body away. There's blood on the tailgate," Catherine said.

"Don't forget to check the tires and undercarriage, maybe we can narrow down where they dumped the body," Gil told her.

"I've been thinking after seeing pictures of her husband. I don't think she could've carried the body by herself," Nick said.

"She has plenty of friends that could've helped, like the one big guy we saw when we got here," Catherine said.

"Sonny Walker," Detective Brass said as he entered the garage.

"Yeah, I heard of him, he could've done the hit," Nick commented.

"I doubt it, he has a solid alibi. He was with his lady friend, who is the mother to Mrs. Donovan's coworker, Jake Shaw."

"Close knit bunch," Grissom replied.

"You ain't heard all of it. Jake Shaw is married to Maria Andrews, who is Elaina Donovan's cousin and her co-director at the FBI. They're doing reorganization at the Foley building. Could be someone there had a beef with her and did this to set her up," Brass suggested.

"What is it with you and Nick trying to find way to keep her out of this?" Catherine asked.

"I'm just looking at the possibilities," Brass replied. 

"I wasn't saying she wasn't involved, I just said she couldn't carry the body," Nick explained.


	4. Elaina a Killer?

Chapter 4 

Monica decided to stay with Elaina that night to make sure she was ok and not putting up a brave front. After the CSI team had left Elaina went to the guest room to lie down for a while. When she awakened she went to the living room and found Monica watching TV. 

"It isn't on the news is it?" Elaina asked.

"No. We asked them to keep it out of the news because of our undercover work," Monica said, "Are you feeling ok?" 

"I feel as good as I can, considering my husband is probably dead and I don't know what happened. You really don't have to stay here. I can handle being alone." 

"I want to stay just to make sure. You've been through a lot today answering all those same questions over and over. Did you ever eat anything?"

"I don't think so. I'm really not hungry," Elaina said. "Did anyone call Derek?"

"Sabrina was going to but we told her you'd want to do it." 

"You were right, I do but I don't know what to tell him. Today was his birthday, he's probably wondering why we didn't call him." Elaina started to cry. Monica handed her tissues and tried to comfort her. 

"Maybe you could tell him Frank had a last minute assignment out of town. Is that too big of a lie?"

"It's possible. He knows Frank does work for the CIA, if he's needed. It's getting late I better call him." Elaina dialed the ranch and waited for Derek to answer. She was surprised when all she got was the answering machine. 

"Mom, Dad, sorry we missed your call Becky and some of our friends are taking me out tonight. Love you both. Leave a message." Elaina waited for the tone.

"Derek, it's just me. Dad had to leave on a case. We both miss you and love you. Have a very Happy Birthday." She hung up the phone and stared at it for a few seconds. "He and Becky went out. He said to leave a message."

"Why don't you ask him to come here? Wouldn't it be better to tell him in person?"

"I don't want to tell him at all. How can I tell him his father could be dead?"

"It won't be easy but he needs to know, so does Sarah," Monica told her.

"Oh God. Sarah, this will hit her so hard. You know how she worships Frank. I can't tell her at least not alone." Elaina broke down again. 

"I'll be here for you, so will the rest of the team. We're not going to let you go through this alone," Monica said, hugging her. 

"Thanks. I better go tend to the horses," Elaina said, getting up. 

"You don't have to, Jake and Sab took care of them before they all left," Monica said. 

"I'll have to thank them. If that offer for something to eat is still valid, I'll take a cup of tea and some toast."

"Ok, just sit back and I'll fix it for you."

******

The next morning Nick went to see Grissom with the info he had about the prints and what Greg had found out so far.

"Hey Griss!" Nick said, going into Grissom's office. "Every print we got from the house is either Elaina or Frank Donovan's. The only prints on the knife were Elaina's."

"What about the blood?"

"Greg said the blood on the sheets and knife is Frank's."

"And how did he know this?"

"Get this, Elaina gave us access to his medical records."

"She's very accommodating, isn't she?" 

"Do we tell Brass to arrest her now? All the evidence is pointing to her, it was her truck with the blood on the tailgate and her prints everywhere, even on the knife."

"As of yet we have no motive for her doing it. I think we need to talk to Mrs. Donovan without her team around her. They seem to be very protective of her," Grissom said. 

"No wonder, she's related to half of them in someway."

 "Send Catherine with Brass to pick her up. They share a love of horses, maybe Catherine can get her into a discussion that will cause her to let her guard down," Gil suggested.

"All right I'll go tell her." Nick left the office to find Catherine. "Hey, Warrick have you seen Catherine?" he asked his fellow worker.

"She was in the lab talking to Greg last I saw."

"You get a case?" Nick asked.

"Yeah, some divers found part of a body in Lake Mead. Sara and I are headed out there," Warrick said as Sara came from the locker room. "See ya later."

"I wonder if this is the missing body to their case?" Sara asked. 

"I guess we'll find out soon enough."

******

Sabrina arrived bright and early with Angelina with her. When Elaina saw them at the front door she knew who had the next shift of watching out for her. "Good morning, watch dog two," Elaina greeted her.

"Like you wouldn't do the same for me or Maria. I hope you don't mind my bringing Little Bit," Sab said as she sat down to take her daughter from the carrier. 

"I don't mind at all it will give me…."

"What?"

"If Frank's dead, so are my ideas of having another child." Elaina walked over to stare out of the window. "I wish I could help him the way I did before but I have no idea who did this to him or why. Before I was in contact with him and I could connect with him in a way. But this feels so different."

"I refuse to believe he's gone. There's no evidence to say he is, we have to keep our hopes up."

"I am babe. I'll never give up, even when they tell me he's gone because he really won't be. He'll always watch over the kids and me," Elaina said with a weak smile. "Oh, now what?"

"What?" Sab walked over to look out the window too. She saw a car park and Detective Brass and Catherine Willows get out of it. "Do you want me to tell them to leave?"

"No! I have nothing to hide." Elaina went to the door to let them in. "Hello. How can I help you today?"

"We'd like for you to come to the station with us and answer some questions," Brass replied.

"Why there? Do you plan on arresting me if you don't like the answers?"

"We just want it to be in a place where we won't be interrupted as easily as here," Catherine said.

"In other words, you don't want my team around," Elaina said.

"Your words not ours," Brass stated.

"I have one thing I need to do it won't take long. You may follow me if you wish. I have to tend to the horses first," Elaina said.

"We can do that, Elaina," Monica said.

"I need to do it. You girls go home and don't worry about me."

"I'm going to stay until you…."

"Agent Kells-Forrester, you will do as I say," Elaina snapped at her. 

"Sorry Agent Blakely, I didn't realize you were making it an order," Sab said, putting Angelina in the carrier.

Catherine mouthed the word 'wow' to Brass. "Why did she call you Agent Blakely? Don't you go by Donovan?"

"Not always. Now if you don't mind, I need to tend to the horses then I'll go with you." Elaina didn't wait for them to say anything; she walked to the family room and out the glass doors to the stables. They followed her out as Monica and Sabrina went out the front door. 

"Man, did you see her turn on me? What did I do wrong?"

"Nothing, I think she has kicked into Agent Blakely to handle the stress of everything. I'm sure she'll call when she's back home," Monica told her.

"Yeah. I didn't tell her but Cody, Sonny and Jake are at headquarters checking out something. Maria called the house this morning and they left in a hurry said it had to do with helping Elaina," Sab explained.

"Then I think you should follow me and we'll see what they're up to," Monica said, getting her keys out.  

"I think you're right."

*****

"This is White Sand, Sarah's horse. He's the grandson to White Feather, your horse," Elaina told Catherine.

"He's beautiful. Looks just like Feather," Catherine replied as she petted the horse.

"We had to put White Feather down after he broke a leg in a fall. I blame my brother who took him up in the mountains after it snowed. He wanted to go hunting as they were going up a slope he slipped and fell into a ravine. Damn, near beat my brother senseless."

"You have a bad temper?" Brass asked.

"Everyone has a bad temper if they get angry enough," Elaina stated.

"Who does this Arabian belong to?" Catherine asked. 

"My husband. I gave Velvet to him when she was a colt. They're inseparable when he's on the ranch or with in distance of her nose."

"What do you mean by that?" Brass asked.

"She has the ability to find Frank in a crowd or in a warehouse lying in a pool of blood. She saved his life a few months ago when he was abducted and tortured. That's all I can tell you about the case, before you ask."

"How did she know where to find him?"

"We suspected he was in a warehouse, so when we went to look for him, to save time, I took her and she tried to kick in the door of a warehouse to get to him," Elaina explained. 

"Amazing," Catherine said as Elaina went to another stall. Catherine turned when she heard a shrill whistle. Sahara came from her open stall and stood next to Elaina. Elaina made a hand gesture and Sahara knelt down as if bowing. She made another gesture and Sahara rose and walked back to the stall. "She's well trained."

"Thank you. I learned from the best," Elaina said. "I'm almost done here." She walked to the stable doors with Brass and Catherine; she whistled and all the horses came from the stalls. "Behave while I'm gone." The horses nickered and went about their eating and walking around.

"How long does it take to train the horses like that?" Brass wondered.

"Months, if they're stubborn," Elaina replied. 

"Did you train all of them yourself?" Catherine asked.

"No, my son and Frank helped when they could. We all pitch in around the ranches."

"Why aren't your children here? Haven't you told them?" Brass asked.

"Yesterday was my son's birthday. The first time we haven't been all together to celebrate it. The last thing I wanted to tell him was his father could be dead." They walked into the house and Elaina locked the door.

"I'm sorry. I guess I wouldn't want my daughter to know on her birthday either, if something had happened to me," Brass said.

"I know it's hard telling children their father died. I had a hard time telling my daughter," Catherine said.

"I'm sorry for your loss," Elaina said as they went through the house locking it up.

"We were divorced when it happened."

"I wish everyone could have the relationship Frank and I have. I think the divorce rate would go down," Elaina said.

"Murder rate would go up," Brass commented.

"Listen. I didn't kill my husband. I don't care what evidence you have; I **did not** kill him. I love him with every fiber of my being. I may threaten in anger or joke about it but I would never murder him. I wouldn't do that to our children," Elaina said, very angrily.

"Sorry, didn't mean to upset you," Brass said.

"Like hell! You hope to get me angry enough to take a swing or say something incriminating. Are you forgetting I know all the tactics there are to interrogate a suspect? Hell, I probably know more than you do," Elaina said as they walked to the car. 

"Elaina, why don't you drive your own car? I'll ride with you," Catherine suggested.

"Why do you need my truck for more evidence?" Elaina asked.

"No, you're not under arrest we just want…"

"To be in control. Fine, I'm not going to admit to anything I didn't do. I'll answer your questions and then I'll come home and call my son to tell him about his father."

*****

Monica and Sabrina went into HQ but found that the guys were not there. Allison and Maria were in the Operations center with the twins. "Where's everyone at?" Monica asked.

"Alex is in the apartment, she's talking to Carlos about what's going on," Allison answered. 

"The guys have a case. A couple of divers found a body in Lake Mead. It's a national Park, so it's our jurisdiction," Maria answered.

"You don't think its Frank, do you?" Sab wondered.

"I don't know, but if it is, we're going to handle it," Maria insisted.

"But Elaina called the locals to handle it because we were too close to her and Frank," Monica reminded her.

"I just don't get her reasoning on this. We worked his abduction and the kids' kidnapping, why is this different?" Sab asked.

"I don't know why she did it either. I just know that we should be investigating Frank's case as well as this one. If the two are related then maybe we can help her," Maria said.

Sab stood thinking about something and then looked at Maria with a smile on her face. "I'm very protective of my family and my dear friends."

"Excuse me?" Maria wondered if Sab had lost it.

"Elaina said that to Frank when I was poisoned. They were standing away from me but I heard most of what they said. She said she'd do anything to save me. If she was willing to bed a guy to help me what do you think she would do to protect or help Frank?"

"Are you saying Frank is alive and she's willing to risk a murder charge to protect him in some way?" Allison asked.

"It does make sense. She doesn't want us on the case knowing we'd try to keep it quiet, if the evidence pointed to her," Monica said.

"She wanted the evidence to point to her and she wants someone other than the police to know he's dead and she did it. Question is why?" Sab wondered.


	5. Not A Good Day

SerenaFehr: I'm not telling you what's happening, you have to keep reading. Thanks for the reviews. Chapter 5 

There was a stand off at Lake Mead where the body was found. Jake Cody and Sonny were not letting the CSI team near the scene. The body was lying behind them; it was only a torso, no hands or head were found by the divers. 

"We have always handled cases here," Sara said to Jake.

"Not anymore. You can call Special Agent Maria Andrews, she'll explain it to you," Jake said with a grin.

"We need to process the scene. The three of you are contaminating it," Warrick said.

"No, we're not. We know how to work a crime scene. We've been standing here by the body since they brought it up," Cody informed them.

"Why don't we work it together? We'll process the body you guys get the surrounding area," Sara suggested.

"I don't think so," Jake said.

"I'm calling Grissom," Warrick said, walking away from them.

******

"Please have a seat," Brass said as they entered the interrogation room. 

"Ever thought of brightening this place up?" Elaina asked, looking at the drab gray walls of the room, she also took note of the dark glass knowing others could be listening to them.

"We like it this way," Brass quipped. 

"So, I guess you want to know what I know, right?" she asked as Catherine joined them again.

"That would be nice," Brass said, trying not to be irritated.

"Ok, here it goes. Can you take notes fast or do you have a tape recorder?"

"We have a taped recorder," Catherine said, placing it in front of her and turning it on.

"Ok for the record. I'm Elaina Wynn Blakely Turner Donovan. And this is what I know. You are Jim Brass, homicide detective 40 years old divorced and you have a daughter. You turned in bad cops in New Jersey and left there to start over here. You were once head of CSI but you transferred out, after one of the investigators died at a scene."

"I think that's enough. Try telling us what you know about the night your husband died."

"All I can tell you, is he didn't die, at least by my hands. I'd never kill him, as I have said many times."

"Did you take Rohypnol to sleep that night?" Catherine asked.

"Nope. I was worn out by our activities. I didn't need any drugs," Elaina stated, playing with her bracelet.

"Really? We found traces of the drug in a glass in your bedroom," Catherine informed her.

"That glass was Frank's. He has had trouble sleeping once in a while. He has a prescription for the mildest dosage," Elaina said. "But then you should know that. I gave you his medical records."

"Why was his glass on your side of the bed?" Brass asked.

"He was drinking out of it and leaning on my shoulder as we talked. When I told him to go to sleep he finished off the glass and set it on my side of the bed as he lay on top of me. Do you want to know what happened next?"

"We get the picture. But if he was going to play around more, why did he take the medication with alcohol?"

"I didn't know he had taken it or he wouldn't have been drinking. I don't believe in mixing booze and pills," Elaina said as Grissom stormed in. "Besides, I don't know why you would have found traces of it in the glass."

"Why is your team stopping my people from working a crime scene?" Gil asked.

"Didn't know they were. I haven't been in contact with any of them, except for Sab and Monica. Agent Andrews is in charge. Where is this crime scene?"

"Lake Mead." 

"Well, there you go. That's a national park, it would be federal jurisdiction," Elaina said with a smile.

"Our team has always worked cases from the park," Grissom said angrily.

"Only as a courtesy of the FBI, which I have reorganized. We will soon have our own team of scientist that will work the cases from now on," Elaina explained.

"Why? We have solved many cases for the FBI," Catherine said.

"And we thank you for doing so but I work different than the past Director. We will have a very capable staff and they can work the cases. You have enough to look after, here in the city," Elaina told them.

"My people are there. Yours is not. Let us work it and we will turn everything over to you, when and if you get a team," Grissom suggested.

"I'll have a team don't worry as for letting your team do it? Let me think about it a bit." Elaina sat there staring at her wedding ring. "My answer is no."

"I'll go over your head," Grissom said, storming back out.

"Gee, I didn't get to wish him good luck," Elaina said, laughing. 

"Butting heads with him is not a very good idea," Catherine commented.

"I've butted heads with a lot of people, both figuratively and literally. I give more headaches than I receive," Elaina told her with a smile.

"Can we get back to the questions?" Brass asked.

"Before we do, let me lay this all out and see if I understand it."

"Go ahead," Brass said with a sigh.

"I supposedly killed my husband, carried him to my truck. Carted his body off somewhere, came home, took my shoes off put them under the bed then crawled into bed with a bloody nightgown on. Woke up not remembering what happened, I called the police and you come along find all this evidence that could possibly convict me." Elaina recounted. "Now I have been called a crazy bitch by many people but I don't think, if I committed a crime like murder, I'd be stupid enough to leave the evidence around for you to find."

"Crazy people do crazy things. Maybe you don't want us to believe you'd be that stupid but you did do it," Catherine said as she watched Elaina carefully. 

"I did not kill my husband. We were going to have another child by a surrogate. Why would I kill him? What motive do you have?"

"We're still investigating," Brass said.

"You can investigate until you're blue in the face but I didn't do it," Elaina said as Grissom came back in. "Were you successful in getting my people out of your way?"

"You knew I wouldn't be. Your boss thinks very highly of you," Grissom, said. 

"I don't think much of him. If I was going to kill someone, he'd be on my short list," Elaina quipped. "I can get my people to cooperate. May I use your cell phone?" Grissom handed her his phone. She walked over to the corner and dialed Jake's number. "Jake, back off!"

"Why?" Jake asked.

"Because I just gave you an order, that's why. Let them work the case; it has nothing to do with what's happening to me. I don't need any of you protecting me from anything."

"Ok. I'll tell Sonny and Cody," Jake said.

"Let me talk to one of the CSI members," Elaina instructed. 

"She wants to talk to one of you," Jake said, handing his phone to Warrick.

"Hello?" 

"I've told them to let you do the scene. You will send all reports to the Bureau. This is on federal land and we're to be kept in the loop. You're boss is listening to me tell you this and if I find out any of you disregard my request, I will be on your ass, got that?"  
  


"Yes Ma'am," Warrick said.

"Good, give Jake the phone back." She waited for Jake to come back on. "Get to HQ and wait on me there. You're all going to hear an earful when I get there." She disconnected before he could reply. She started to give Grissom his phone back but held to it as he did. "I meant every word I told Mr. Brown."

"You're free to leave now," Grissom said then walked out.

****

By the time Elaina got back to HQ she had cooled down some. She went straight to her office and sat there until Jake and the others came back. Each of the girls tried to get her to talk to them but she wouldn't let them in. She sat thinking about everything she and Frank had gone through in their lives together. She had to admit there were times when she could have killed him for hurting her but their love overcame the adversity. She saw the men coming back and went out to the Operations center with the girls. 

"Why are you hiding from us?" Sabrina asked.

"I don't answer to any of you. If I want to hide from you, I will. So back off," Elaina said in a very angry tone. 

"Fine." Sab went over and sat in front of her computer. 

The men came in laughing about something but quickly stopped when they saw the look on Elaina's face. They each walked over by their ladies. "She's not in a good mood, is she?" Sonny asked Allison in a whisper. 

"No," Allison said, watching Elaina pace back and forth talking to herself. "Something isn't right here and I've been elected to talk to her, if she allows it."

"Good luck, baby. I think you're going to need it," Sonny said.

"What the hell was in your mind sending them to Lake Mead?" Elaina said to Maria.

"I was doing my job, since you weren't here. I used my best judgment and sent them to the scene. It is federal jurisdiction, the same as your case."

"My case is not going to be touched by any of you. I thought I made myself clear on that," Elaina said looking at each of them. The only one to meet her stare was Sabrina, who got a smirk on her face. "What is your problem Agent Kells-Forrester?"

"Allison will explain," Sab said, turning to look at Allison. "Go ahead tell her what we know."

"Tell me what?" Elaina turned her attention to Allison. 

Allison swallowed hard before she said anything. For some reason she was actually afraid to say anything. "The ladies and I have come up with a theory as to why you are taking the heat for Frank's disappearance."

"Disappearance? Has he contacted you and not me?" Elaina asked with a nervous look on her face.

"No. But we feel we have put together a very reasonable theory," Allison said. 

"Then tell me and get it over with. I have to call my children."

"We think Frank is alive and well. You're trying to protect his whereabouts by faking his death," Allison said then waited for Elaina's reaction.

"Good theory. Too bad it isn't right. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have other things to take care of." Elaina left them all baffled as she walked to her office.

"Ok, she said we weren't right. Did she mean the theory was totally wrong or just part of it was wrong?" Sab wondered.

"She also said her case was off limits. Does that mean the body does have something to do with it?" Sonny asked.

"She told me it had nothing to do with her case," Jake replied.

"She's lying. I just can't figure out why?" Sab insisted, knowing Elaina so well.

*****

The team continued to debate the issue as the day went on. Elaina stayed in her office only coming out a couple of times with her eyes red from crying. The team figured she had been explaining things to Derek and the rest of the family. If it were true, they figured their theory must've been totally wrong, for she would never put the children through something like this. 

Elaina left HQ that evening not wanting to go home to an empty house. She told everyone she didn't need a watchdog so they should stay with their own families. She passed a nightclub that caught her eye, so she went around the block to the parking lot. She ran a brush through her hair and went inside. The music was loud but it wasn't hard rock. She went to the bar and sat down. She ordered a glass of wine and sat watching people. She didn't know it but someone was watching her too. 

Sabrina and Cody had followed her because Sab was worried about her being so quiet. She and Cody entered the nightclub and sat away from her, just wanting to make sure nothing happened. 

"Why does she have to drink? Can't she see it isn't doing her any good?" Sab asked.

"She's upset. She's missing Frank and the kids. I just wish she'd tell us what's going on. I don't think he's dead," Cody stated. 

"I don't know why she won't let us help her. It's like she's torturing herself for some reason." 

"I say we force her into telling us. She shouldn't have to go through this alone."

"Why don't you go on home? I'll stay here and drive her home whether she likes it or not," Sab suggested. 

"I think that's a good idea if she lets you," Cody said, watching Elaina as she ordered another drink. "She's a pretty lady, she shouldn't be in a place like this alone. I want you to be careful too."

"I will, Sweetheart. You drive carefully too. I love you."

"I love you too, Angel." Cody got up and gave her a kiss before he got ready to leave.

"Give Angelina a kiss for me when you tuck her in," Sab said, getting up from their table.

"I will," Cody said as he left. 

As Sab walked over to Elaina she wondered if she could get her to stop drinking. She worried about her friend. If she was being accused of something she didn't do her depression may set in and Sabrina was scared she could hurt herself again.

"Hey there! Come here often?" Sab asked with a giggle.

"God. Don't you ever listen to an order?" Elaina asked.

"Not when I know it's in your best interest I follow you. Don't drink anymore, it isn't going to solve anything," Sab said, holding her hand over the glass.

"If you insist on being here; shut up and don't lecture me. I have a lot on my mind and I don't need you bothering me. Especially when you can't help."

"I could if you would let me. I can keep a secret. I'm carrying one big around now. I've kept my promise never to tell anyone, not even Cody."

Elaina acted as if she would tell Sabrina something then turned back to her wine glass. "Just let me drink and think in peace."


	6. Just keeps Getting Better LoL

**Chapter 6**

"We have the blood tests done on the torso we brought in this morning. It comes back to Frank Donovan the same as the blood on the sheets. Greg said the DNA tests aren't ready yet," Warrick said to Grissom as they stood with Greg in the lab. 

"I'll wait on them, before I get this to Brass, I want to be 100% sure about everything on this case. Something just doesn't seem right," Grissom said. 

"Can I go to dinner now? I'm starving," Greg asked.

"Sure," Grissom answered. "You do know you only get an hour for dinner?" he asked, seeing Greg change shirts before leaving.

"I know but I like to look my best. You never know when you might meet someone." Greg smiled and left them in the lab alone.

"I still don't get it. She doesn't seem the least bit phased that all the evidence points to her," Nick said to Catherine, as they walked by the lab as Warrick and Grissom walked out.

"Talking about Mrs. Donovan?" Grissom asked.

"Yeah. She is so cool about this. If she didn't do it, don't you think she'd have her team looking into it to make sure we didn't railroad her for it?" Nick asked.

"Maybe she wants us to speculate so we'll look at the evidence over and over until she figures out a way to leave the country," Warrick suggested as they all walked to the lounge area. 

"She does own her own plane. She can leave anytime she wants," Catherine mentioned.

"We don't have a motive for the killing. She's rich in her own right, so it wasn't for the money. Their coworkers say they fight and she even admitted it, but they've never tried to kill each other before. She doesn't have a boyfriend on the side. From all indications she and Frank loved each other more than anything, other than their kids," Nick said.

"Why hasn't her son showed up, or her brother? Why aren't they in the middle of this?" Warrick asked.

"I have some answers for you," Sara said, walking in. "I finally reached her brother. He said he just heard about it but he was told by Elaina not to interfere in the case. Also Brass found out that her private plane is in Chicago. Frank's parents and his daughter are there with Derek, since they found out about the murder. Derek hung up on Brass, saying he didn't want to discuss it." 

"This woman is good." Grissom said. "She's leading us through this whole case and I just realized it."

"What so you mean?" Catherine asked.

"We need to see if we can find other medical records for Mr. Donovan. I don't believe we have them all." Grissom stated. "Sara, they moved here from Chicago. I want you get a warrant for Donovan's medical records there. Don't give them any notice, just go there with the warrant and get them."

"Cool! I get a free trip to Chicago," Sara said, getting up to leave. 

"Can I go too?" Nick asked. 

"It isn't for pleasure; get the records and get back here," Grissom told Sara.

"What do you want us to do?" Warrick asked. 

"Go back over the pictures of the scene. See if we missed anything. If you have to, go back to the house and look around. I doubt she's changed anything," Grissom said. 

"Catherine, I want you to call the son and talk to him. Be sympathetic to him like you don't believe his Mom's guilty. Hopefully he'll open up then." 

"I could go to Chicago with Sara and talk in person," Catherine suggested.

"No, I want you to talk to Elaina after you talk to him. She's good but everyone makes mistakes at some point. We need to get her to let her guard down somehow. If you mention having talked to her son, I'm sure she'll get angry enough to say something by mistake."

*****

"Oh boy!" Elaina said as she stood up. She was a bit dizzy from the wine and swayed as she tried to get her balance. "Umm. Could you help me to the restroom I have to go," she asked Sabrina.

"I should say no. After all, that was the first thing you've said to me in the past two hours."

"Fine. I'll get there on my own," Elaina went to take a step and almost fell.

"Sure you will. Hold on to me," Sab instructed as she started to the restroom. 

"Thanks Babe," Elaina said as they reached the door. "I think I can handle it from here."

"I'll wait out here," Sab told her. She leaned against the other wall as a cute looking guy walked by her to the men's room. He smiled at her and she smiled back, she was still waiting when he came back out moments later. 

"Are you holding the wall up?" he joked.

"No, my friend has had too much to drink and she needed help to the restroom. She seems to be taking her sweet time, too." Sab stuck her head in the door. "You ok?"

"Yeah. Be out in a minute!" Elaina yelled back.

"I saw you walk her this way, she did seem a bit tipsy," he said, trying to hold the conversation.

"Tipsy hell, she's flat out drunk," Sab said with a giggle.  "She usually doesn't drink, unless she's bothered by something. I'm going to drive her home when she gets out."

"Too bad, I was going to ask you to dance," he said, flirting with Sab.

"Maybe some other time…I'm sorry, we never introduced ourselves. I'm Sabrina." 

"I'm Greg."

"Hi Greg, nice to meet you. Do you come here a lot?"

"Once in a while when I don't work," Greg said.

"This is my first time here. What kind of work do you do?" Sab asked, curiously.

"I work in a crime lab," he answered.

"Fascinating! I'm a computer tech. Your job sounds a lot more interesting than mine. Do you have to look at dead bodies?"

"Not too often but I have seen a few. I mostly do evidence analysis like DNA, blood tests, chemical residue that sort of thing," he boasted.

"Cool. Do you think I could visit you sometime?"

"You'd want to visit a lab?" Greg asked.

"Yeah." 

"I'm sorry but I can't take visitors in there. You have to get special clearance for it," Greg said as Elaina stepped out and stared at him.

"What's going on here?" Elaina asked.

"This is…"

"I know who Mr. Sanders is. What are you doing talking to him?"

"Have we met?" Greg asked. 

"I'm Elaina Donovan. Do you need to know more?"

"No ma'am. It was nice to meet you Sabrina," Greg said as he started to walk away.

"She's married stay away from her," Elaina yelled after him.

"Why the hell did you do that? I was trying to find a way to help you," Sab wondered.

"I don't need that kind of help. Take me home. Now!" Elaina ordered.

"How did you know who he was?" Sab wondered.

"I know everyone associate with my case. Did you think I wouldn't check out everyone I have to deal with?"

"No, but you better get used to dealing with me. I want to know what's going on and I'm not leaving you until I do," Sab insisted.

******

"I hate to bother you but I need to tell you something that happened earlier," Greg said, walking in Grissom's office. 

"I'm really busy here, can't it wait?"

"It sort of has to do with the case. I met Mrs. Donovan."

"Where?" he asked, giving Greg his full attention. 

"She and a very beautiful friend of hers was at the nightclub I went to at dinner," Greg explained. 

"I take it you met the friend first?"

"Yeah. I had to go to the restroom and I had seen her help Mrs. Donovan to the ladies room and she stood outside waiting so we struck up a conversation."

"Please tell me you didn't mention the case to her."

"No I didn't. I didn't know who they were until Mrs. Donovan came out and told me her name. Sabrina went to introduce us and she said she already knew who I was. In so many words she told me to get lost so I did."

"You said she needed help to the ladies room. Why?" Grissom wondered.

"She was drunk. At least I thought she was. She didn't seem that way when she came out," Greg replied.

"You think she was faking being drunk?"

"I saw her down a lot of drinks no longer than I was there. She had to be drunk," Greg reasoned. 

"Do you know the bartender at this place?"

"Enough why?"

"I want you to take Nick with you and find out if he was watering down her drinks."

"Ok." 

******

Elaina awakened the next morning with a hang over. She was still staying in the guest room not going near her bedroom. She got up and went to the living room; she saw Sab asleep on the couch. She didn't want to wake her, so she went to the kitchen to get some aspirin for her headache. She dropped a glass and within a couple of minutes Sabrina was in the kitchen. 

"Sorry, if I woke you," Elaina said getting a broom and dustpan.

"I was awake when you came in the room. I've already talked to Cody and Maria. Told them not to expect me at work," Sab explained.

"Then why didn't you say good morning, if you were awake?" she asked sweeping up the glass.

"You didn't look like it was a good morning. Besides I was thinking about something."

"Hope you didn't strain your brain too much." Elaina put the glass in the trash can then places the broom and dustpan back. 

"Very funny. I think we were right about Frank being alive. So why don't you tell be what's going on?"

"I told you there is nothing you can do to help me, so lay off of me," Elaina said, getting a beer out of the fridge. 

"Put that back in there! You're not going to start drinking this early in the morning." Sab tried to take it from her but Elaina pushed her away.

"Try that again and you'll be sorry." 

"Damn it! Why are you doing this?"

"If you don't like it leave!" Elaina downed half of the bottle before Sabrina took it out of her hand. "You little bitch!"

"I learned from you. Tell me what's going on and you can have as many beers as you want," Sab said, pouring out the rest of the bottle. Elaina went back over to the fridge but Sabrina slammed the door shut before she could reach for another bottle. Elaina was reaching for Sabrina's neck when the doorbell rang. 

"You were definitely saved by the bell," Elaina said, leaving the room. 

Sab shivered as she thought of the look in Elaina's eyes, she was suddenly afraid of her friend. She followed her to the foyer, when Elaina opened the door they were both surprised to see Derek standing there. Elaina grabbed him and hugged him. Sab was equally surprised when he pushed her away.

"I only came here to tell you something face to face," Derek said with anger in his voice.

"Which is?" Elaina asked.

"Until this is all straightened out, Becky and I are keeping Sarah," he announced. 

"You can't keep Sarah from me, I'm her mother! She needs me now more than ever," Elaina argued.

"You killed our father. The evidence tells the truth, Mother. Which is more than you can do. I'm not going to let you near Sarah!"

"What do you know about the evidence?" Elaina demanded. 

"I had a long talk with Ms. Willows. She shared some of what they think happened the other night. I have to admit it sounds just like you to get drunk and then kill Dad. Tell me who or what are you going to blame this on?" Derek asked in an angry tone.

"How dare you, talk to me this way." 

"You deserve it and more after what you did," Derek said, going to the stairs.

"Where do you think you're going?" Elaina asked.

"I'm going to get some of Sarah's things. I also want to see where it happened," Derek said as he went up the steps.

"Aren't you going to stop him?" Sabrina wondered.

"I haven't been able to go up there again since that morning."

"I'll go try to talk some sense into him," Sabrina said, going up to find Derek. "Derek!"

"What?" he yelled from Sarah's room. 

"I don't think it's fair the way you're treating her," Sab said as she leaned against the doorway. 

"It wasn't fair of her to kill Dad either," Derek snapped.

"I don't think she did it and I don't think Frank is dead either."

"If Dad was alive I would know it. He wouldn't put us through this. He would tell us even if he was hiding it from the team," Derek said as he put some clothes in a backpack.

"What if he was protecting you by not telling you the truth?"

"It would never happen that way, Sabrina. I know my Mom and Dad very well. They wouldn't torture us like this." 

"Even so, why are you torturing your Mom by taking Sarah from her. She is innocent until proven guilty."

"Mom, innocent? Are you forgetting how she can snow people? She's good at acting like a victim. She has in the past and she will continue to do so until she is caught. And now it looks like her luck has run out," Derek said, closing the backpack. "I have to go. I told Sarah and Becky I wouldn't be gone long."

Derek and Sab walked together to his parent's bedroom. He looked inside and turned to go downstairs. "How are your Grandparents and your uncle Trevor?" Sab asked as they descended the stairs.

"They're trying to cope with the news," Derek said. Elaina met them at the bottom of the stairs; she had tears running down her face. "You can stop with the tears. I'm not bringing Sarah back here."

"Don't do this Derek. I need her with me. I need you both. Please bring her home."

"NO! You should have thought of us before you killed Dad." Derek pushed past her to the front door. 

"Derek! I didn't kill him. I didn't, I swear to God, I didn't kill him!" Elaina exclaimed as Derek slammed the front door.

"Come on, Lainie. Let me take you in to lie down." Sab guided her to the guest room as she started to shake. She sat her on the bed and Elaina curled up as she cried. "That's it, now lay there and try to calm down. Do you want me to call Allison for you?"

"Yes. I would like to talk to her," Elaina said, sobbing.

"Ok, I'll call her, you just try to rest." Sab left the room and shut the door. She went into the living room and got the cordless phone to make her call. She wanted to make sure Elaina didn't come out of the room while she was talking to Allison. The phone at HQ was answered by Karissa; after explaining to her Mom what happened she asked to speak with Allison.

"Hello, Sabrina," Allison said.

"I need your help, so does Elaina," Sab told her.

"Why do **you** need my help?" 

"I'm not sure I can keep an eye on her by myself. She's drinking and she's depressed even though she won't admit it. Derek just told her he was keeping Sarah from her, so I'm really worried what she might do," Sab explained. 

"I'll be there as soon as I can. Just keep her away from the alcohol," Allison ordered.

"I will. I'm standing outside her door, so she won't be getting near it."

*****

Allison arrived at the Donovan house with Sonny tagging along. Sab was surprised to see him. "Uncle Sonny, what are you doing here?"

"I want to be here in case Elaina got out of hand," he said.

"I think we can handle her. She's been really quiet, she won't say anything to me. She's just been crying a lot," Sab reported. 

"See if she has any antidepressants around here. If not I'll have to go get some for her," Allison said. 

"She's in the guest room lying down. Uncle Sonny, could you look in the bathroom of their room? I don't want to go in there," Sab asked.

"Sure, kid. I'll go." Sonny went up the steps while Allison went in to see Elaina. 

"Elaina, are you asleep?" she said quietly as she entered. Elaina had her back turned from the door. 

"No," she said, sniffling.  

"Did Sabrina tell you what happened?"

"Yes she said Derek paid you a visit. You want to talk about it?"

"I want to see my daughter but he won't bring her here. Can you talk him into it for me?"

"I'll try. I can always send Sonny and Jake to get her," Allison said half joking.

"No, I don't want to force him to hand her over, they're going through a lot. I don't want them to resent any of you for helping me. Maybe Derek's right in keeping her," Elaina said as tears started rolling down her face again. "I don't think I can take much more."

"I want you to start your medication again. Do you have any here?"

"Maybe. I don't remember. I really don't want to take it. I hate the feeling I get when I'm on it. I feel dopey all day when I first start taking it."

"It will pass. I insist you start taking it again," Allison said. 

"Excuse me, but we didn't find any pills," Sab said, sticking her head in the door. 

"Thanks, hon. I'm going to go get you the medication. I'll be back soon." Allison left her alone, while she went in the living room with Sonny and Sabrina. 

"Do you want me to drive you to the pharmacy?" Sonny asked.

"No, I want you to stay here with Sabrina. Elaina is unstable right now and I want her watched closely," Allison answered.

"You're scaring me. Is she suicidal again?" Sab asked.

"I don't think she's that bad but she's starting to withdraw from us. I could tell that right away."

"I think I'll go see if I can get her to talk," Sonny said. 

"Good. I'll be back as soon as I can." Allison left then Sab decided she would make sure Elaina couldn't find anything to hurt herself with. She found Elaina's gun in her bag and hid it in a potted plant in the dining room. She then went to the kitchen and took all the knives and put them in the top cabinets over the sink. She then decided to fix something for Elaina to eat, realizing they both had not eaten anything yet.

*****

Sonny went into the guest room finding Elaina sitting on the window seat looking out to the horses. "Do you feel like talking?" he asked.

"Only if you don't mention my husband or children. I can't handle those topics right now."

"You don't leave me with much to talk about." 

"Sorry. How do you like working for the federal government?" she asked, picking the subject.

"I look at it as helping you and Frank, not the Feds."

"I don't know who'll you'll be helping if I get arrested."

"Frank will be back before you get arrested." 

"That's twice you mentioned him after I told you not too. If you want to be next keep talking," Elaina snapped at him.

"Next what? I don't believe for a minute you killed Frank. I think you're doing this, as Sabrina said, to protect him in some way," Sonny said as she walked over to the door.

She pushed the door shut and locked him in. "That better be the last time you say his name, if you value your life. You keep your opinions to yourself, and I'll let you live." 

*****

When Allison arrived back at the house, Sonny was just coming out of Elaina's room. Allison noticed he was bothered by something.  "Are you ok, Sonny?" she asked.

"I'm starting to think she did kill Frank. She threatened me."

"What did she say?" Sabrina asked.

"She told me not to mention Frank or the kids. She asked me a question and I mentioned Frank's name I had to, to answer the question. Then I made the mistake of bringing up Sabrina's theory that she was protecting Frank. That was a big mistake."

"What did she do?"

"She shut the door and locked it and said if I valued my life, I'd keep my opinions to myself and never mention Frank to her again. I didn't I have been in there talking about me past career. The only subject I knew that I wouldn't mention him in."  
  


"I better see if I can get her to take these pills," Allison told them. 

"I don't think either of you should be alone with her," Sonny said. 

"Sonny, she's a bit upset. I'll be fine with her, so will Sabrina. She'd never hurt one of us," Allison assured him.

"I guess now wouldn't be a good time to tell you she went for my throat earlier?" Sab wondered. 


	7. Answers? Maybe

Chapter 7 

Over the next couple of days Elaina withdrew further from her friends. She refused to take the antidepressants and wouldn't eat, thinking Allison would put them in her food. Allison and Sabrina took turns staying with her. Monica and Maria came over but Elaina never talked to them. She rarely said anything to anyone; staying in the guest room mostly. She did walk out to see the horses a couple of times with Sabrina as she fed them.

Allison made a few calls to Derek to get him to let Megan bring Sarah back home to see if it would bring Elaina back to her old self but he wouldn't allow it. Sabrina even tried but he was very defiant to both of them.

It was lunchtime again and Sabrina was determined to get Elaina to eat this time. She went in her room to talk to her. "Lainie, could you come in the kitchen please?"

"Why?" Elaina asked, sounding very tired. 

"I thought if you watched me fix something to eat you wouldn't think I was drugging you. I really want you to eat something," she said, taking her hand in hers. "You looks so pale, you really need to eat and go out more."

"I'll go to the kitchen with you. How is Angelina?"

"She's fine. Would you like for me to have Mom bring her over here?" Sabrina wondered. This was the first time she had asked about her.

"You said I should get out more. Why don't we go see her? We can stop at a fast food place and you won't have to cook."

"Ok, I like that plan. Do you want to change clothes or anything first?" Elaina was wearing a shabby looking sweatshirt and sweatpants.

"I think I would feel better taking a shower first."

"All right. I'll go call Mom and tell her to expect us in a bit."

"I'm sorry for not being myself lately. I just miss my little one."

"I know I miss her too. I tried to talk to Derek but he's bull head just like you," Sab said, laughing. 

"Yes. I know that all too well." Elaina got up to walk to the bathroom and collapsed in the floor. 

"Lainie! Lainie are you ok?" Sab patted her face to get her to come to. 

"What happened?"

"You fainted or blacked out," she said, helping her up to the bed.

"I guess I should've been eating. I'll trust you enough to make me something before we go see Angelina."

"Ok. You just lay back and stay there until I get back. Is soup ok?"

"Sounds good."

Sab went to the kitchen and opened a can of soup from the pantry and heated it in the microwave. She was about to take it in, when the doorbell rang. She wanted Elaina to eat so she took the tray with her. When she walked into the living room, she saw that Elaina had answered the door. Grissom, Catherine and Detective Brass were there. "What are you people doing here? Haven't you put her through enough?" She turned to face Elaina. "You go back to bed. They can come back later."

"Sabrina, last I heard this is my house," Elaina said glaring at her.

"Excuse me, Agent Blakely, but I was just looking out for your health," Sab told her. "She just collapsed a few minutes ago."

"We would like to ask you a few questions but if you need to see a doctor we can wait," Catherine offered.

"You can come back later she needs to eat. As I told you the other day she has been very depressed and not eating," Sab told them. "Elaina, please go back in and eat this soup."

Elaina turned her attention to the other three ignoring Sabrina. "You said you had more questions for me? I'll be more than happy to answer them. Please sit down? I do have to warn you, I have been drinking today. That's why I passed out. I can't be held accountable for anything I might say."

**_'When did she drink anything? There must be booze hidden in…wait a minute. So that's why she's been drinking, so anything she said couldn't be used against her.' Sab thought to herself. 'But why did she drink before…to set up a_** **_pattern, duh!" Sab smiled, knowing that part of the puzzle was found. Now all she needed was more._**

****

"You're son and I talked a few days ago," Catherine said.

"Yes, I know I do hope it was more pleasant to you than he was to me the other day. I know my son can be a hothead at times. Isn't that right, Sabrina?"

"Yeah. He can be very hot headed. Did he tell you he punched his dad one night and took a swing at Elaina too? Or so I was told after the fact. Now he's keeping his sister from Elaina."

"Sabrina, that's enough!" Elaina said, sternly.

"So he's a lot like his mother," Brass commented.

"Very much, thank you," Elaina said. 

"He told us that you've shot Frank in the past. Is that right?" Catherine asked.

"Yes. They planned it to happen," Sab answered.

"Sabrina, they were talking to me. It is true we planned it, but I wasn't supposed to shoot him. He didn't do what I thought he would and the bullet hit him in the shoulder." 

"He didn't do what you thought he would? Could you explain that?" Brass asked.

"He pulled up and turned around as I shot. He was supposed to keep moving, until he heard the shot then fall, as if shot," Elaina explained.

"Has your husband ever had an affair?" Grissom asked.

"No. He cheated once and I forgave him," Elaina answered with a smile.

"Were you supposed to kill him at one time, after being drugged and brainwashed?" Brass asked.

"Man, you people have done your homework," Sab commented. 

"Yes, it is true. Your next question is could the brainwashing took effect?"

"No. If it had I wouldn't be here. I was to kill myself after I was to have killed Frank." 

"The brainwashing did almost work last year when she was drinking and depressed. She shot up her bedroom and pointed the gun at herself," Sabrina added.

The phone rang just then. "May I get that?" Elaina asked and Brass shook his head yes. She walked over to answer the phone. She started to cry as she talked to the person on the other end. When she hung up she motioned for Sabrina to come over to her. 

"What's wrong?" Sab asked.

"Go call the team and have them get here, ASAP." 

"Why?"

"Just do it!" Elaina ordered.

"May we ask what is going on?" Grissom asked.

"In time. What other questions do you have for me, pertaining to the case?" Elaina wondered.

*****

"I'll get it!" Cody yelled as he entered the operations center. "You rang?"

"Cody, Elaina wants everyone over here, ASAP," Sab told him.

"What's up?"

"Don't know. She got this mysterious phone call and was crying then she told me to call everyone to the house."

"Ok. We'll be there in a few," Cody said then hung up.

"People, we have to get to Elaina's, something's going on." Cody said, over the intercom. "Let's move!" 

"What's up," Jake asked as he and Maria joined Cody.   
  
"Sab couldn't say just that there was a phone call that caused Elaina to cry. Then told Sab to get us there," Cody reported as Alex and Monica joined them. 

"Where's Sonny?" Jake asked.

"Right behind you," Sonny answered as he and Allison walked into the foyer together. 

"Karissa and I will stay with the babies. If you need me, call," Allison said. 

"We will." Jake said as they all headed out the door.


	8. The Facts

**Chapter 8**

Everyone gathered at Elaina's house within a short time. Grissom and the others were still there as well, waiting on more answers, which Elaina said they would get. Elaina made herself a cup of coffee while she waited. 

"Everyone is here, why is she stalling?" Cody asked Sabrina.

"I don't know. It must have to do with the call she got. Why didn't you bug her phone?"

"I've been preoccupied. Why didn't you?" Cody asked her.

"Same reason as you."

"When this is all over can I get a tour of the lab? I was able to get one in Chicago. Even got to sit in on an autopsy," Alex asked Grissom.

"I don't think your Boss would like you associating with the enemy," Grissom said.

"When this is all over, I don't know who my boss will be. So can I get that tour or not?" Alex asked with a smile.

"I'll look into it Miss Cross," Grissom told her.

"Is it my imagination or is everyone on this team a brick shy of a load?" Catherine asked Brass.

"I thought I was the only one that thought it," Brass said with a chuckle.

Elaina went from the living room to the dining room like a shot. The others followed her to see where she was going. She had gone out through the garage as they made it to the door; she opened it to come back in. 

"Are you following me?" she asked. "Go sit in the living room, I'll be there soon. That was an order to the team and a request to the three of you," she said to Grissom.

"We're tired of this game. We want answers now!" Brass told her.

"You'll get them in just a few minutes. Now go sit down, please," she said with a smile.

"Five minutes, no longer," Brass told her.

"Won't be that long," she said, going back out.

*****

"It is so good to have you back. I was beginning to think I'd have to go to trial, before you got the case solved," Elaina said to Frank. She kissed him before he could say anything.

"Umm, I liked that." He chuckled. "I didn't think it would take so long.  I thought two days and it would be over. Ever notice bad guys don't run on our time schedule?" he said, holding her close to him.

"I noticed a long time ago. Where's my girl?" 

"She's with Derek and Becky back at the plane. They'll be here when the smoke clears. We should go in and explain what exactly happened." 

"I like standing here holding you."

"Come on, let's face the music and get it over with," Frank said, breaking the embrace.

"Wait! Where did Andy go?" she asked, remembering seeing him in the car with Frank.

Frank walked over and opened the garage door; Andy was on the other side. "Come on in, she's harmless."

"Andy, I was only joking when I said I'd shoot you the next time I saw you. You know I like you or I'd have shot you already," Elaina said with a smile.

"As often as you have threatened in the last couple of months, I thought it wise to have Frank make sure it was safe."

"Do you have Sam pregnant yet?" Elaina asked changing the subject.

"You ask me that every time we talk. No not yet but we are trying very hard."

"Don't try, it will happen when it's supposed to happen," Elaina said.

"I'm beginning to think that is very true. But Sam is getting frustrated not getting pregnant when she wants to be."

"I'll call her and talk to her soon. Let's go in and explain things to our guests," Elaina suggested.

******

"What is taking them so long?" Jake wondered. 

"She said we'd get our answers, so just be patient," Maria told him. 

"Do you really think she killed Frank?" Alex asked Grissom. 

"At first yes. But now we know she didn't," Grissom announced.

"Really? Then why are you here?" Cody questioned him.

"I want to know why she went to all this trouble to make herself look guilty and take my team from other cases," Grissom answered as Elaina walked in with Andy.

"I didn't take you from other cases, you could've worked any that came up. You're the bulldog of this group. You got hold of it and wouldn't let go," Elaina said.

"My curiosity had the best of me. I've never seen a case quit like this one," Grissom told her. "I have to admit you made me think about all of the evidence including your answers that you have given us in the interviews."

"I gave so many clues but I don't know if anyone realized what I was actually saying," Elaina mentioned. 

"I figured out that you were only drinking to set up a pattern to make others think you were a lush," Sab said.

"Very good, Sabrina," Andy commented. 

"Yeah she had most of it figured out I had to throw her off the trail by using Derek," Elaina said. 

"He was in on it too?" Catherine asked.

"Yes. I would never have my children thinking their father was dead if it wasn't true."

"Where is Mr. Donovan, if he's alive," Brass asked.

Elaina walked over to get Frank. He was coming back from the kitchen with a sandwich in his hand. "What are you up to?" 

"Where are all the knives?" Frank asked before eating another bite.

"Sabrina hid them afraid I'd hurt myself. Are you plan on making Andy and I explain this?"

Frank made sure he swallowed before answering making her wait for an answer. "It would be very impolite to talk with my mouthful."

"Then get rid of the sandwich. You're going to help explain this."

"I haven't been back that long and all ready you're pulling rank on me?"

"Damn straight," she said pulling him in the room, taking half of the sandwich too. "I haven't ate anything today."

"Welcome back from the dead, Boss," Cody joked. 

"If you will just stay seated and don't ask a bunch of questions the three of us will tell you what happened," Frank said, sitting with Elaina.

"Why can't we ask questions?" Sab wondered.

"It would take too long when we can just tell you what happened and get it over with," Frank said.

"Ok. We'll listen, just don't leave anything out," Sab said, leaning back on the couch.

"Andy would you like to start? After all you did start all this," Elaina said.

"Sure. As you all know I called Frank and Elaina the day before the supposed murder…."

****** A few days before. *****

**"Hey Andy. What's up?" Frank asked.**

**"Your number. Seems there is a problem only you can fix. You need to die in the eyes of others."**

**"Where am I going?" Frank wondered.**

**"Not over the phone. I'll fill you in later when you get back to Chicago. Tell no one what is going on, except Elaina."**

**"She's just came in you can talk to her about it. I need some fresh air all of a sudden." Frank handed Elaina the phone as he did their eyes locked on one another. She knew something big was about to happen to each of them. **

**"What's going on?" she asked.**

**"Andy will fill you in." He left her standing with the phone in her hand wondering then she finally talked to Andy. **

**"Andy, what's happened?"**

**"Frank needs to die in the eyes of the others." **

**"Ok. How long will he be gone?"**

**"A few days maybe longer. You know how these CIA cases are. I promise to keep you informed while he's gone as much as I can," Andy promised. **

**"I know you will. I believe this is perfect timing for me. Our boss won't give me the funds to start our own forensics lab here. He said the Las Vegas crime lab was the best in the area. I was to use them. I'd like to actually 'kill Frank' to see how good they really are." **

**"You could get into something deep doing a stunt like that," Andy warned. "Especially, if something were to keep Frank away longer than we suspect."**

**"I'm willing to risk it. As long as others think he's dead then it will protect Frank in the long run. Especially if he were to meet someone who recognized him," Elaina stated.**

**"This is true. I want you to let Frank in on your plan. I don't want him mad at me, you're bad enough," Andy said with a laugh.**

**"Good bye, Andrew." Elaina hung up and started making notes about her plan.**

*******

"Frank, do you want to continue?" Andy asked. 

"I have one question. At least let us ask between explanations?" Alex said. 

"Ok, go ahead," Frank said.

"Why did you say 'die in eyes of others'? Why did he have to die in our eyes?" Alex wondered.

"I can't answer the first part at this time. The second was because that is how Elaina wanted it to pull off what she wanted to do," Frank explained.

"She was testing my team," Grissom said.

"Yes. Now we'll tell you how we set you up," Frank said. "Cody and Sabrina fell into the plan before I knew what it was, they had asked to go riding that afternoon…

********

**"Are you ok?" Elaina asked Frank as he came back in from the porch. **

**"Yeah, I hope you don't mind I told Sab and Cody they could go out riding later."**

**"Why would I mind? As a matter of fact they will help with my little plan I have brewing."**

**"Oh God! What are you doing now?" Frank asked, really not wanting to know. He knew her plans could be very devious and complicated at times.**

**"Don't worry. It will be fun pulling a fast one on everyone," Elaina said with an evil smile.**

**"Tell me the plan."**

**"I'm going to kill you," she said it with a deadpan look. **

**"You're going to kill me. Glad I get a little notice," Frank chuckled.**

**"I'm not actually going to kill you."**

**"Well, I certainly hope not. I have work to do elsewhere you know."**

**"I know. I think we need a body to really pull this off though."**

**"We can get one. But how do we get the blood and DNA to match?"**

**"We'll have to fake your medical records, which they will get from the doctor here. Hopefully, they won't think of Daniel's copy too quickly."**

**"What about Sarah she'll be home in a couple of days?" Frank wondered.**

**"I'll call your parents on a secure line and tell them the plan they can act as the grieving parents if they get called about it. Which I'm sure they will be."**

**"We better go home and make those calls so no one thinks it's for real, at least the family won't." **

**"I'm going to have so much fun with this."**

**"Just don't go overboard and land in jail," Frank said kissing her. **

**"Never happen, my love," she said, before returning his kiss. **

*********

"So, you went home and made the calls. Then you and Frank beat each other up to make us think you were mad at each other about something, just to set us up?" Cody asked.

"Yes, we did. Only we were getting carried away in the argument, that's when she threw the vase at me," Frank explained.

"I'd like to skip ahead and find out where and how you got the body?" Brass asked.

"We got it from the cadavers we have for such occasions. There was a recent body donated to us so I brought it to help Elaina with her little test. Then we faked the medical records to match the body," Andy explained. 

"How could you disgrace a body like that?" Monica asked. "You cut the hands and head off. That's so disgusting."

"The head was already missing, I'm afraid. That is how the person died," Andy told her. 

"It was a fresh body, so to speak and how it was donated, we can't say. However we needed to have blood to match the body, when and if it was found. We also needed a weapon as evidence, so we cut the hands off so there would be no fingerprinting," Elaina explained.  

"How did you dispose of the body?" Catherine asked.

"The body, itself was never in the house. All of the cutting of the hands and saving the blood was done by Andy and he had the body put in the lake then found when the time was right," Elaina said. 

"Are there any other questions?" Frank asked. 

"No. I think we've heard enough. With what we found out in our own investigation with you having the bartender water your drinks down and other little things we know enough. I want you to know I don't like being tested this way. It had better never happen again," Grissom said as he got up to leave. 

"I assure you there will be no more testing on my part. I will suggest to my bosses that you're lab handle all federal cases in this area if wish to do so. I will also turn my finding over to the rating's board. You may not be number two lab anymore," Elaina said.

"Our rating had better not drop because of this," Catherine said.

"I assure you it won't. It was never my intention to do your department any harm. We will reimburse you for all money and wages spent on this case. All you need to do is send the bill to me at the Foley building. It will be paid as soon as I receive it," Elaina assures him.

"Believe me, you'll receive one," Grissom commented. "Let's get out of here."

"Catherine?" Elaina stopped her before she left the room. "If there are no ill feelings between us, I would like to invite you here to ride anytime you wish. I extend the invitation to any of your co-workers too, if they wish."

"Thank you. Maybe after the air clears a bit more, I might take you up on the offer," Catherine said.

"Very well, I understand completely." Elaina walked the CSI team out then went back in to hear everyone talking about what went on. She went over to Frank, who was talking to Sonny and Jake. "Excuse me, did you call the plane? I want to see my children."

"Yes, I did. I called as you were walking them out. They'll be here soon," Frank answered.

"Have you told them why you were missing?" Elaina wondered.

"I told them all I could that it was a CIA mission. Monica said you had mention I could've been on a mission as an excuse for missing Derek's birthday. She didn't realize you were giving a clue."

"I don't think they caught on to many of my clues," Elaina said. "But it is over and done with."

"I'm thinking we should leave you two alone. I'm sure you need some family time," Sonny said.

"We'd appreciate it very much. We'll talk to all of you tomorrow about this but I think we explained it as much as we can," Frank said.

"Elaina. It was fun working with you again. I really enjoyed it," Andy said.

"Thank you for helping me. I know after the way I have treated you, you could have said no." 

"And miss out on one of your plans? Not when they are as good as this one," Andy said laughing. "I'll call to you in a day or two. I'll tell Sam you'll call her, too."

"Have a safe trip back, Andy. And thanks again." Frank walked them all out.

*******

Megan, Becky and Sarah were greeted with hugs from Elaina. She had truly missed Sarah and it had been a while since she had seen Becky. Derek's hug was also a thank you for the great acting job he did when he came to visit days before.

I'm so glad to have my family back together," Elaina said as they all sat down to talk. 

"I'm really glad to be back," Frank said. "For a while there I was wondering how long it was going to take to…" Frank was interrupted when Elaina cleared her throat. "I guess I better not say anymore."

"We know you can't take about it in front of us," Becky said.

"Sarah, how did you like staying with Grandma and Grandpa D.?" Frank asked her as she sat on his lap.

"We went to the zoo!" she answered. "I got to pet a pig and a goat."

"She really liked the petting zoo more than the animals she couldn't touch," Megan said. "I have pictures for you to look at later."

"Thank you for taking them," Elaina said. "Becky, how's everything going with you?" she asked as Sarah talked to Frank about the zoo.

"Great. My mother called and told me she and Father are finally divorced. She asked if she could come stay for a while. I told her no. I wasn't ready to mend our relationship yet and not to call me again."

"Are you sure, you should have done that?" Elaina wondered. 

"You and Frank have been better parents to me than they could ever hope of being. So I'm sure about what I said. I'm quite sure she only wanted to live in luxury while I paid for everything," Becky stated.

"Ok. I believe you know her better than I do. How is managing a restaurant and college working out?" Elaina wondered.

"I'm doing good with both. My grades were down a little at first but I brought them back up. Derek helps me when he can; he even helps with my homework."

"Really?" Frank asked.

"Yeah, I decided to take a few college courses while I worked. So I'm taking a few of the same classes she takes so we can see each other more."

"Being married isn't enough?" Frank quipped.

"If I had a day off she was in class, so I figured since, I have a set schedule with work now, I can take a few classes and be with her," Derek answered.

"What is she taking, you would be, is it to get a degree for the FBI?" Elaina wondered.

"Psychology and Sociology. I take it to get a better handle on how to deal with the public," Becky explained.

"Daddy, can we go riding? I missed Sand while I gone," Sarah said.

"I don't see why we can't. Why don't you go change into some pants instead of your pretty dress then I'll take you riding?" Frank told her.

"Okie, Megan, would you help me?" Sarah asked, getting off Frank's lap.

"Sure I will. I have to unpack your our bags anyways. We'll be right back." Megan took the bags and followed Sarah up the stairs. 

"Is anyone hungry? I haven't been eating much," Elaina said as the phone rang. "I'll get that. Hello?"

"Hi, Aunt Lainie, How are you?" It was Elaina's niece Constance.

"Connie, I'm fine. How are you?"

"I'm good. I have been thinking a lot about what you asked me the other day. I even talked to Dad about it and I have made my decision."

"You're not going to do it are you?"

"Don't say anything. Let me get this out before you say anything else please," Connie stated.

"Ok." Elaina sat down in the chair to brace herself for the news. Frank noticed the tears in her eyes so he went over and sat on the arm of the chair next to her and placed his arm around her.

"I debated this and I talked to a lawyer as you requested. I find it all very overwhelming. So I finally thought of family and not the legal aspects and science of it all. That's what I based my decision on."

"Connie, please just tell me," Elaina begged.

"Yes. I'll be your surrogate," Connie said with a catch in her throat, knowing how happy she just made her aunt.

"OH God! Thank you," she said. Frank got her attention and she told Connie to hold for a sec. 

Frank took the phone as Elaina went over to Derek and Becky to tell them. She asked them to keep it quite from Sarah, because she wants it to be a surprise for her. 

"Connie, Thank you. I'm thrilled you would do this for us," Frank said, beaming with a big smile.

"There was no way I could say no. I know how much she wants another child, and this will tell me if I want to have one of my own someday." Connie figured. "I'll be there in a few days to meet with you and Elaina and sign all the papers."

"We'll make sure they're ready. You've made us both very happy," Frank said. 

"You're very welcome. Tell Aunt Lainie I love her and will talk to her soon." 

"I will. Good bye." 

"Bye."

Frank hung up the phone and went over to see if Sarah was coming yet. Seeing she wasn't he walked over and grabbed Elaina kissing her deeply. "We're going to be parents again. I am so excited. I just hope I don't let it slip to Sarah."

"You do the CSI team will see how I actually do kill you," Elaina joked, kissing him again.

"Don't joke about that. You need me to get the baby, remember?"

"Sure, I remember. I'd do it after you made the donation," Elaina said with a wink.

Sarah came running down stairs ready to go riding. "Why don't we all go riding?" Frank said.

"Yeah!" Sarah agreed.

"Ok, I'm willing," Elaina said.

"So are we!" Becky said, holding hands with Derek.

The End


End file.
